Chapter 148: Are You Okay?" "Where’s Debbie?
Chapter 148: Are You Okay?" "Where’s Debbie?
By the time Lucas finally returned to Silvermont, the sky was beginning to brighten.
The endless chase, the raid, and the drive back had drained every last bit of energy from him.
His eyes were bloodshot.
His body felt heavy.
But none of that mattered.
Debbie was still unconscious.
On the way back, Lucas passed several roadside hospitals and small private clinics.
More than once, he considered pulling over.
But every time he looked at the worn-out buildings and outdated facilities, he shook his head.
They were too small.
Too poorly equipped.
After everything Debbie had been through, he wasn’t willing to take that risk.
She needed the best care available.
Without hesitation, Lucas kept driving.
Nearly an hour later, the towering buildings of Silvermont finally came into view.
The city was slowly waking up as the first rays of sunlight painted the skyline.
Lucas immediately picked up his phone.
Instead of wasting time searching for another hospital, he called the city’s most prestigious medical institution.
Silvermont Royal Medical Center.
The moment he explained that they were bringing in an unconscious kidnapping victim who had likely been drugged, the hospital immediately activated its emergency trauma team.
By the time Lucas’s SUV screeched to a stop beneath the emergency entrance, doctors, nurses, and paramedics were already waiting outside with a stretcher.
The rear door swung open.
Several medical staff carefully transferred Debbie onto the stretcher before rushing her toward the emergency department.
"Clear the hallway!"
"Emergency patient coming through!"
The automatic glass doors slid open as the medical team disappeared inside.
Lucas instinctively followed.
A nurse quickly stepped in front of him.
"Sir, we need to register the patient first."
Lucas was just about to answer when Chloe walked in behind him.
The moment the hospital staff recognized her, their expressions immediately changed.
No one asked another question.
No one mentioned deposits or admission procedures again.
One of the senior doctors personally ordered the staff to begin treatment immediately.
"Save the paperwork for later."
"The patient comes first."
Only after Debbie had been taken into the emergency treatment room did Lucas finally head toward the registration counter and complete every remaining form himself.
Once everything was finished, he finally had a chance to breathe.
He leaned against the wall and pulled out his phone.
The screen immediately lit up with dozens of missed calls.
Almost all of them were from Daisy.
There were also several calls from her sister.
Lucas rubbed his forehead.
In all the chaos...
He hadn’t even noticed.
Without delaying any longer, he called Daisy back.
The phone connected almost instantly.
Inside the enormous villa...
Daisy hadn’t slept all night.
The mansion felt far too big with only her inside.
Every passing minute made her more anxious.
She had called Lucas again and again.
No answer.
She had even tried calling Debbie.
Still nothing.
Just as she was beginning to imagine the worst...
Her phone suddenly rang.
The moment she saw Lucas’s name on the screen, she practically jumped off the sofa.
She answered before the second ring.
"Lucas!"
"Where are you?"
"Are you okay?"
The questions poured out one after another.
Lucas took a slow breath.
"We’re at Silvermont Royal Medical Center."
The moment Daisy heard the word hospital...
Her face turned pale.
Her heart instantly sank.
"...Hospital?"
"What happened?"
"Is Debbie alright?"
"Are you hurt?"
She was already rushing upstairs while speaking, hurriedly changing clothes and grabbing her bag.
Lucas tried reassuring her.
"She’s stable."
"The doctors are treating her."
"You don’t have to worry."
But...
His exhausted voice carried none of its usual confidence.
To Daisy...
It sounded like someone trying to hide bad news.
Within minutes, she had rushed out of the villa.
Unfortunately...
The luxury estate was located far from the city.
At this hour, the roads outside were almost completely deserted.
She stood by the roadside for over an hour.
Not a single taxi passed.
No ride-sharing cars accepted her request.
Even the occasional private vehicle ignored her desperate attempts to wave them down.
The road remained painfully empty.
Eventually...
She called Lucas again.
"...I can’t find a taxi."
Her voice sounded frustrated and close to tears.
Lucas remained silent for a moment before speaking gently.
"It’s already late."
"Don’t force it."
"Come tomorrow morning."
"I’ll stay with her tonight."
Daisy bit her lip.
She wanted to argue.
She wanted to go no matter what.
But after looking at the deserted road around her...
She knew there was nothing she could do.
After a long silence...
"...Okay."
She quietly turned around and slowly walked back toward the villa.
Inside the hospital...
Debbie’s condition had finally begun to stabilize.
The drugs in her system were gradually wearing off, and her breathing had returned to normal.
Every now and then, her eyelids trembled as though she was trying to wake up.
But even in her sleep, pain was written all over her face.
Her brows remained tightly knitted together.
Occasionally, she let out a soft groan before falling silent again.
The doctors explained that although she hadn’t suffered any life-threatening injuries, the powerful sedatives forced into her body would leave her weak for a while.
She would need plenty of rest before fully recovering.
Lucas finally allowed himself to relax a little after hearing those words.
As for him...
The nurses insisted on examining him as well.
Fortunately, compared to Debbie, his injuries were minor.
Aside from bruises on his arms, aching muscles, and a few cuts from the shattered glass, there was nothing serious.
The biggest problem wasn’t his body.
It was exhaustion.
He had barely rested since the previous day.
The chase.
The fight.
The raid.
The drive back to Silvermont.
Every ounce of strength had been squeezed out of him.
After the doctors cleaned and bandaged his wounds, Lucas sat beside Debbie’s hospital bed.
He hadn’t planned on sleeping.
But the moment he leaned back in the chair...
His eyes slowly closed on their own.
...
Ring...
Ring...
The sharp sound of his phone suddenly broke the silence.
Lucas frowned slightly before opening his eyes.
For a brief moment, he looked completely lost.
Then everything came rushing back.
He rubbed his tired eyes and reached for the phone.
"Daisy."
Without thinking, he answered.
"...Hello."
His voice was hoarse from exhaustion.
He had originally intended to tell her she could come over now that things had settled down.
Before he could speak...
Daisy’s confused voice came from the other end.
"Where are you guys?"
Lucas blinked.
Then he immediately sat upright.
"...Wait."
"Are you here already?"
"Yes."
"I’m downstairs."
"I’ve been at the hospital for almost ten minutes."
Lucas let out a helpless laugh.
"I’ll come get you."
"Don’t move."
After ending the call, he glanced toward Debbie one last time.
Seeing that she was still sleeping peacefully, he quietly left the room.
A few minutes later...
The elevator doors opened on the ground floor.
Lucas stepped into the spacious hospital lobby.
It didn’t take long before he spotted Daisy.
The moment she saw him...
She immediately ran over.
"Lucas!"
Without caring about the people around them, she stopped right in front of him and carefully looked him up and down.
Her eyes quickly found the bandages on his arm.
"What happened to you?"
"Are you hurt?"
Lucas smiled faintly.
"It’s nothing serious."
"Just a few bruises."
"I’m fine."
Before he could finish...
Daisy asked the question she had been holding back all night.
"What about Debbie?"
Lucas’s smile gradually disappeared.
He sighed softly.
"...She’s okay."
"The doctors said she’ll recover."
"She was drugged."
Hearing that...
Daisy’s face immediately turned pale.
She lowered her head slightly, trying to process everything.
Neither of them spoke again.
They simply walked side by side toward the elevator.
Lucas pressed the button.
A few moments later...
The doors quietly slid open.
Both of them stepped inside.
The elevator began climbing.
Past the ordinary patient floors.
Past the specialist departments.
Until it finally reached the very top of the hospital.
This floor was different from the rest.
It wasn’t open to ordinary patients.
It was the hospital’s exclusive VIP medical wing, reserved only for influential families, billionaires, and high-ranking government officials.
The hallway was almost completely silent.
Soft golden lighting reflected off polished marble floors.
Private suites stretched along both sides of the corridor, each guarded by discreet security personnel and attended by dedicated nursing staff.
Ding.
The elevator came to a gentle stop.
The doors slowly opened.
Lucas and Daisy stepped out together, heading straight toward Debbie’s room.